Connector system with electromagnetic interference shielding

Abstract

A connector system includes a header connector, a mating connector, and a conductive grounding bridge. The header connector includes a conductive shell that defines an interior chamber and a contact disposed in the interior chamber. The mating connector includes a conductive member and an electromagnetic shield joined to a housing. The shield has an elongated protrusion extending from the shield to an outer end. The header connector and the mating connector couple with each other such that the contact engages the conductive member and the protrusion engages the shell. The grounding bridge is joined to one of the header connector and the mating connector and engages another of the header connector and the mating connector when the protrusion engages the shell. The protrusion is electrically coupled with the shell at the outer end of the protrusion and by the grounding bridge.

1. A connector system comprising:
 a header connector comprising a conductive shell that defines an interior chamber and a contact disposed in the interior chamber; 
 a mating connector comprising a conductive member and an electromagnetic shield joined to a housing, the shield having an elongated protrusion extending from the shield to an outer end, the header connector and the mating connector coupling with each other such that the contact engages the conductive member and the protrusion engages the shell; and 
 a conductive grounding bridge joined to one of the header connector and the mating connector and engaging another of the header connector and the mating connector when the protrusion engages the shell, the protrusion being electrically coupled with the shell at the outer end of the protrusion and by the grounding bridge. 
 
     
     
       2. The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the shell of the header connector and the grounding bridge engage the protrusion of the mating connector in spaced apart locations to restrict radiation of electromagnetic interference from the shell of the header connector when the protrusion engages the shell. 
     
     
       3. The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer end of the protrusion of the mating connector engages and is electrically coupled with the shell of the header connector and the grounding bridge electrically couples the protrusion and the shell in spaced apart locations when the header connector couples with the mating connector. 
     
     
       4. The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the shell of the header connector includes sidewalls interconnected by a coupling wall that extend to outer edges, the grounding bridge electrically coupling the shell with the shield of the mating connector at one or more of the outer edges when the header connector couples with the mating connector. 
     
     
       5. The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the shell of the header connector includes sidewalls interconnected by a coupling wall, the sidewalls and the coupling wall extending to outer edges that define a front face through which the protrusion of the mating connector is received into the interior chamber, the sidewalls extending from the coupling wall to lower edges with the grounding bridge extending from the outer edge of at least one of the sidewalls at the lower edge of the at least one of the sidewalls. 
     
     
       6. The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the shell of the header connector includes opposing sidewalls interconnected by a coupling wall and the grounding bridge is a first grounding bridge joined to the coupling wall, further comprising second and third grounding bridges joined with the sidewalls, the first, second, and third grounding bridges providing electrically conductive pathways between the shell and the housing of the mating connector when the header connector and the mating connector are coupled. 
     
     
       7. The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the grounding bridge is a first grounding bridge, further comprising a second grounding bridge joined to one of the header connector and the mating connector. 
     
     
       8. The connector system of  claim 7 , wherein the first grounding bridge electrically couples the protrusion of the shield of the mating connector with the shell of the header connector and the second grounding bridge electrically couples the shell with the housing of the mating connector in a position located away from the protrusion when the header connector couples with the mating connector. 
     
     
       9. The connector system of  claim 7 , wherein the shell of the header connector includes sidewalls interconnected by a coupling wall, the first grounding bridge electrically coupling the coupling wall with the protrusion of the mating connector, the second grounding bridge electrically joining at least one of the sidewalls with the housing of the mating connector when the header connector couples with the mating connector. 
     
     
       10. The connector system of  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion of the mating connector is electrically coupled to the shell of the header connector by the outer end of the elongated protrusion and the grounding bridge at spaced apart locations when the header connector is coupled with the mating connector. 
     
     
       11. A connector comprising:
 a conductive shell including sidewalls and a coupling wall that partially bound an interior chamber of the shell, the sidewalls and the coupling wall extending to outer edges; 
 a contact disposed in the interior chamber of the shell; and 
 a grounding bridge joined to the shell and protruding from at least one of the outer edges, wherein the shell is engaged by an elongated protrusion of an electromagnetic shield of a mating connector and the shell and the grounding bridge are electrically coupled with the protrusion in spaced apart locations when a conductive member of the mating connector couples with the contact. 
 
     
     
       12. The connector of  claim 11 , wherein the shell engages and is electrically coupled with an outer end of the protrusion of the shield and the shell engages and is electrically coupled with the protrusion by the grounding bridge when the shell receives the protrusion. 
     
     
       13. The connector of  claim 11 , wherein the grounding bridge is a first grounding bridge joined to the coupling wall, further comprising a second grounding bridge joined to one or more of the sidewalls. 
     
     
       14. The connector of  claim 13 , wherein the first grounding bridge electrically couples the shell with the protrusion of the mating connector and the second grounding bridge electrically couples the shell with a housing of the mating connector in a position spaced apart from the protrusion when the protrusion is received by the shell. 
     
     
       15. The connector of  claim 11 , wherein the shell and the grounding bridge engage the protrusion of the mating connector in spaced apart locations to restrict radiation of electromagnetic interference from the coupling wall of the shell. 
     
     
       16. The connector of  claim 11 , wherein the grounding bridge is a first grounding bridge, further comprising second and third grounding bridges joined with the sidewalls with the first grounding bridge joined with the coupling wall, the first, second, and third grounding bridges providing electrically conductive pathways between the shell and the mating connector when protrusion of the mating connector engages the shell. 
     
     
       17. A connector system comprising:
 a header connector comprising a conductive shell that extends to a front face, the shell defining an interior chamber with contacts disposed therein; 
 a mating connector comprising conductive members and an electromagnetic shield joined to a housing, the shield having an elongated protrusion extending from the shield, the header connector and the mating connector coupling with each other such that the contacts engage the conductive members and the protrusion engages the shell; and 
 an absorptive gasket joined to at least one of the header connector and the mating connector such that the gasket is disposed between the front face of the shell of the header connector and the housing of the mating connector when the header connector and mating connector couple with each other, wherein the gasket absorbs electromagnetic interference emitted from at least one of the contacts and the conductive members without electrically conducting the electromagnetic interference between the header connector and the mating connector. 
 
     
     
       18. The connector system of  claim 17 , wherein the gasket is coupled with the mating connector and engages the front face of the shell when the mating connector couples with the header connector. 
     
     
       19. The connector system of  claim 17 , wherein the gasket at least partially frames the interior chamber of the header connector and the protrusion of the mating connector extends through the gasket into the interior chamber when the mating connector couples with the header connector. 
     
     
       20. The connector system of  claim 17 , wherein the gasket includes a broadband foam. 
     
     
       21. The connector system of  claim 17 , wherein the gasket is formed from an electrically lossy material that absorbs the electromagnetic interference.